


Buzzfeed Employees Avoid Physical Touch For A Week!!!

by Anonymous



Series: Buzzfeed Panders [1]
Category: Buzzfeed The Try Guys (Web Series), Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series), Buzzfeed: Worth It (Web Series)
Genre: Anxiety, Crying, Depression, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Isolation, Light Angst, Loneliness, M/M, Skin Hunger, Social Experiments, Touch-Starved, YouTube
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-03-09 12:05:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18916651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: As the title states: the Try Guys, Worth It crew, and Ghoul Boys physical contact for a week! Why? Because it's unfortunately their fucking job and the Buzzfeed exects are always looking to use their three most popular series as some sort of fan service. Though it really isn't.





	Buzzfeed Employees Avoid Physical Touch For A Week!!!

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [all the fresh starts](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15739359) by [abovetheruins](https://archiveofourown.org/users/abovetheruins/pseuds/abovetheruins). 



> This was inspired by chapter 26 of the fic "all the fresh starts" by abovetheruins. Idk why but this just all came spewing out of me and it wouldn't stop unless I wrote it down.

They were all brought in under the assumption that this was just another social experiment that they would be suffering through for a week. Most only hoped that it wouldn’t be anything dietary related because honestly, they’d all willingly do a month of P90X workout then go through a juice cleanse. But either way it wasn’t a choice they had, this was one of those mandatory videos that the higher-ups at Buzzfeed made them do because they were the most popular cash cows and the fans have been dying for all three groups to do some sort of collaboration together. So here it was, a Try Guys/Unsolved/Worth It crossover for the ages, what it was nobody knows?

They were each called in one by one and told to stand in front of the camera so that the debriefing part of the video could be recorded. So far nothing suspicious, nobody has been asked to take off any clothes or eat anything gross so that was a good sign. That is until the producer started talking…

“How much physical contact would you say you engage in per day?” They asked “On a scale of one to ten, one being little to none at all and ten being overtly so.”

“Why is this the first question I’m being asked?” Zach giggled, eyes darting around nervously as if to look for some sort of clue of what was to come.

\---

Shane shrugged, “I’m not that touchy as far as…I know?” Honestly, he really couldn’t be sure.

\---

“Yeah, I’m a pretty touchy guy, I’ll admit that,” Steven replied, casually swing his arms back and forth “I’ve been told I talk with my hands and unintentionally grab onto people when I do so.” He chuckled, rubbing the back of his head in somewhat embarrassment.

\---

“Ten! Definitely a ten!” Keith answered without any doubt.

\---

“With my wife, it’s definitely a ten,” Ned smirked, adding a wink for emphasize.

\---

“I love hugs!” Keith laughed “I’m a huggable guy who loves to give and receive hugs!”

\---

“With everyone else I’m…” Ned took a moment to pause and carefully think over his answer “Not really sure honestly. It’s not something I think about but I’m pretty sure it more then what I think it is.”

\---

“I’m known for two things in life,” Keith announced dramatically as he began to count them on his fingers “fired chicken and giving great hugs! Also, blue squares but that’s just a sub category!”

\---

“I’m not really sure how to initiate any sort of physical contact with people,” Andrew admitted “I usually respect peoples bubbles and don’t usually cross over unless they do so first. Not that I don’t like physical contact I just…don’t know how it works.”

\---

“I mean, it isn’t something that I keep track of,” Ryan chuckled, awkwardly rubbing at his wrist “I think it’s a normal amount?”

\---

“Yo, I am the cuddle master!” Zach said cheekily “I will cuddle the shit out of you so good! Just ask Eugene!”

\---

“I don’t like physical contact,” Eugene replied with a deadpan expression and his arms crossed “so maybe a one? Is there anything less?”

“Are you sure?” The producer asked, not at all convinced this was true.

Stubbornly, Eugene nodded, “Yeah.”

\---

“Is there a reason you’re asking?” Shane said with an eyebrow raise.

“Yes, we’re gunna give you a challenge!” The producer said excitingly.

“Yeah, that much was obvious but what it is still remains a mystery.” Shane replied.

\---

“We’re challenging you to go a full week with no physical contact with anyone!” The producer explained.

“Anyone?” Andrew asked curiously.

“Anyone.” The producer replied.

“Not even my cat?” Andrew exclaimed worriedly.

\---

“I’m kind of worried now,” Ryan admitted, a nervous giggle escaping him “because in theory it should be easy but in practice…I’m just now realizing how difficult it’s gunna be.”

\---

“Have you seen our desk area!” Steven exclaimed “It’s all an open area, close contact sort of thing! How I’m I supposed to do this? Oh god I just now realized something!”

\---

“I can’t hug or kiss my wife for a whole week!” Ned laughed in a mild fit of hysteria “Or Bean! This is going to be a nightmare! Oh god, poor Keith!”

\---

Keith stood silent, hands on his hips, thinking over the situation that he was in, “Well…this is gunna suck.”

\---

“Fuck, I just now realized I can’t have sex for a week!” Eugene laughed “Because no…fucking…” He waved his arm around animatedly “physical contact! Also, shit, Zach’s gunna be whining all week.” Eugene groaned as he rubbed his hand over his face “That’s…honestly gunna make me really sad now that I’m thinking it over. I was gunna make something funny out of it but…” He gave the camera a tight smile and a whine “He’s really clingy!”

\---

“Look, I know people say that _I’m_ the clingy one but I’m honestly worried for Eugene,” Zach explained “like even before we started dating, when he like first joined the Try Guys and we started all hanging out. At first he was distant but then he got comfortable and whether he likes to admit it or not we rubbed off on him.”

\---

“Okay, so I’m thinking about it a little bit more now and I’m seeing…the big mistake I’m making right now,” Shane chuckled “if this was back in high school, I’d pass this with flying colors. But now I have Ryan to annoy me and a bunch of friends who know nothing about physical boundaries and as much as I hate to admit it, I might have unconsciously picked up on those traits.”

\---

“Aw god, I’m gunna be dealing with a mopey, puppy dog eyed Steven for a whole week,” Andrew sighed “the first think he does whenever he sees me is hug me or kiss me. That’s our routine, you guys are messing up our routine!”

“Why does it feel like my mom and dad are getting a divorce?” Adam asked from behind one of the cameras he was managing.

“I know right.” Annie giggled along with the rest of the crew.

\---

“So, we’ve made you something to wear.” The producer announced, sending over an intern to hand Ryan something.

“Oh god, what is it?” Ryan asked worriedly as he unraveled a small hangable sandwich board sign that read: Please, do not touch! Ryan laughed slinging the sign over his shoulders so that one sign comfortably hung over his chest and the other between his shoulder blades.

\---

“Now, I just feel like an expensive piece of are,” Keith giggled “still sucks though, but feeling very expensive right now.”

\---

“I am not looking forward to this week,” Steven said with a nervous chuckle as he fiddled with the sign on his chest “can’t humans die from, like, not having physical contact for a long time?”

“Well, we’ll just have to wait and see.” The producer answered slyly.

“What does that mean?!” Steven shrieked causing the entire crew to burst out laughing.

**\--- [Monday, Day 1] ---**

The vlogging camera opened to Steven pouting with his chin in his hand, “So, they moved our desks and right now I feel like I’m in the timeout corner because I am literally…” He pans the camera over to the corner of the wall that his desk was shoved up against to “In the corner! Far, far away from society!” He displayed the over the sea of desks clustered together that were a good six to seven feet away.

The camera turns back to Steven who is now slumped over his desk, “Good thing is: they moved Andrew next to me. Bad thing is…” Steven angles his body so that the camera could see over his shoulder towards Andrew who waved from the other corner of the room “He’s all the way over there!”

“I’m like seven feet away,” Andrew chuckled “it isn’t that bad.”

“But I miss you!” Steven whined.

“I’m still right here!” Andrew laughed.

\---

“Look, we’re all still desk buddies!” Zach cheered, maneuvering the camera at an angle to fully see all three of his friends’ desk spaciously lined up against the wall next to him.

“Why am I at the end though?” Eugene complained, leaning back against his chair to make sure he was in shot.

“Because they know you and Zach are gunna make out as soon as the cameras are off and this whole experiment will be ruined before lunch!” Keith explained, causing Ned and Zach to snort.

Eugene rolled his eyes, cheek in hand, “Whatever, how are we gunna do lunch though?”

\---

“I already hate this,” Ryan chuckled, turning the camera towards Shane who is sat at the other end of one of the long lunch tables “I feel like we’re fighting and I don’t like it.”

“Somehow I feel like this is worse then if I were to sit at another table.” Shane added, munching on his burrito.

“I feel like those kids in movies whose parents are getting a divorce,” Ryan turned the camera towards Sara who was sat in the middle on his left “and we’re having that one awkward dinner where we’re discussing which parent I’m going to be staying with.”

“Which parent is it?” Shane asked.

“The mom,” Sara replied with a nod “always the mom, that way you can bribe the dad to buy you stuff because all you have to say is: mom won’t let me have this.”

“Which one of us is the mom?” Ryan wheezed.

“You.” Sara smirked causing both men to laugh.

\---

“We played rock, paper, scissors to see who got to sleep in the bed tonight,” Andrew explained, leaning against the headboard of the bed “obviously, I won so today I get the bed and Steven gets the pullout couch. Then tomorrow we’ll switch.”

“I only lost cuz you cheated!” Steven’s voice flowed from the background, muffled by running sink water. The camera flipped over towards the open door of the bathroom where Steven was hunched over the sink brushing his teeth, “How did I cheat? It’s rock, paper, scissors you can’t cheat!”

“You found a way to cheat!” Steven replied, spiting out the toothpaste before sticking out his tongue.

“Real mature, babe.” Andrew said with a deadpan voice.

\---

“So, I’m on the couch,” Ned sighed with a sad smile on his face “usually I’m not here unless I’m in trouble so this is a very weird feeling and we haven’t even gone to bed yet.”

He turned the camera towards Ariel who sat on the recliner on the other side of the room with a very sad Bean draped over her lap. “Bean’s being a little sad puppy because he thinks I’m mad at him since I haven’t pet him since I’ve gotten home.”

“We miss you!” Ariel smiled sadly “You’re here but you’re so far away even if you’re just across the room.”

“I know, it’s weird,” Ned whined “this is like so much worse then if I went out of state or traveled somewhere for a video or something. Because every time I travel, I know I’m coming home to you. But now I’m home and you guys are here but we’re not together. Not just physically but it also feels emotional too.”

“Yeah.” Ariel sighed.

\---

“Becky’s excited to have her own full bed for a week without a giant gangly man there to squish her,” Keith laughed, camera panning over Becky who was star-fished over the middle of their king size bed.

“I’m excited but I’m also probably gunna miss you after like a day,” Becky chuckled, sitting up to face Keith and bringing her knees to her chest.

“Aw, you gunna miss getting squished.” Keith chuckled.

Becky shrugged, resting her chin on her knees, “I don’t mind getting squished by you really, it reminds me that you’re there and sometimes I need to know that during a rough night.”

Keith was silent for a moment before letting out a sad, pathetic whine, “Nooo, you’re making this sentimental therefore harder than it already is!”

\---

“You know,” Shane began, laying on his side in bed with the camera facing him “when we got home, I was kind of worried about Ryan sleeping alone because he has a lot of nightmares. Then I was like: ah well, he has Obi with him at least so it’ll suck a bit less. Then I remembered: Oh shit, Obi’s not here because we’re doing this stupid challenge! He’s having fun at auntie Sara’s at least so I know he’s okay but still.”

Shane was silent for a while, staring off into nothingness, deep in thought, “I was just kind of thinking…like, I thought Obi would sleep with Ryan and come with me in the middle of the night and maybe go back in forth throughout. And it’s stupid but I kind of thought of it as…as a metaphorical bridge between us. Like, we’re not touching but with Obi we kind of would have been but now we don’t even have that.”

More silence followed then a deep sigh, “It’s not great.”

\---

“So, I am taking the couch,” Eugene said, head laying against the arm rest “because Zach has a shitty back and he doesn’t need it to get worse. Despite what everyone says I actually do have a heart, somewhere way deep inside me.”

“He’s a liar!” Zach said from the background, somewhere in the kitchen “He wears his heart on his sleeves and he cried when we watched Finding Dory yesterday!”

“Shut up, Zach! You’re ruining my bad bitch persona!” Eugene screeched though there was no malice behind it, only weary fondness.

“What bad bitch? You like to be little spoon!” Zach cackled as Eugene grabbed a nearby throw pillow and chucked it at him. “I oughta make you sleep on this damn couch, you stupid bitch!”

“But you won’t because you loooove meeee!” Zach replied in a sing-song voice. Eugene didn’t reply but the hidden smile behind his hand told everybody what they needed to know.

**\--- [Tuesday, Day 2] ---**

Keith sits up, groggily rubbing his eyes, “Super tired, didn’t sleep much at all, and my back hurts.”

\---

“I feel like a crippled old man,” Steven whined, rubbing his sore sides “pull out beds in couches aren’t as comfortable as everyone thinks they are! It’s just a thin yoga mat laid over springs!”

\---

“I feel really shitty,” Ryan groaned, cheek pressed to the back rest of the couch “as anybody would feel when sleeping on a couch. Last night was not pleasant and I have a feeling today is going to be worse.”

\---

“Like, I know the physical pain of sleeping on the couch would not be good,” Ned sighed as he finished folding the blankets he used “but what I didn’t expect was my emotional level to…plummet really fast.”

\---

“I feel agitated and a little on edge,” Eugene confessed as Zach made tea in the kettle from a distance behind him “usually after my second cup of coffee I’m good to go but I still feel like shit and also kind of itchy.”

“I was actually reading up on some shit online last night,” Zach said as he poured his tea “and it turns out that’s actually the starting symptoms of withdrawal.”

“What the fuck?” Eugene snorted, turning to face his boyfriend.

\---

“Zach sent everybody in the group chat last night this article about human’s need for physical affection,” Shane said as he made eggs and Ryan filmed from behind the counter so as not to be tempted “we go through this type of withdrawal called ‘skin hunger’ where you’re skin literally hungers to be touched.”

“That’s fucking terrifying.” Ryan said.

\---

“It kind of makes it sound like my skin wants to eat your skin,” Andrew said, leaning over the back of the couch, careful not to touch Steven “and…it also kind of makes it sound like my skin is sentient and has a mind of its own.”

“Like that skin lady from Doctor Who!” Steven gasped.

“Moisturize me!” Andrew croaked out in a high pitch gremlin voice which caused Steven to laugh.

\---

“So, we just finished up shooting a Try Guys’ video,” Ned explained as he paced around the studio “we were trying stuff on, separately of course, we tried to do it in pairs but that didn’t work out.”

“We were more distracted trying not to touch each other then trying to film the video,” Keith explained, a few feet behind Ned “it was weird, like, I know I like hugs and stuff but I never realized how much physical contact we have with each other every day.”

“Yeah, and it’s not even like hugs and things,” Zach added “it’s like poking each other in the rib or high fiving or touching each other’s shoulder or, fuck, even sitting and walking with each other. Like I never fucking realized how close we sit or when we’re walking next to each other our shoulders brush, it’s a lot!”

“Eugene, how are you feeling?” Ned asked, turning the camera towards the man in question who was sitting on a near by chair checking his phone as he ignored everything else in the world.

“I’m fine.” He replied but his voice was short and clipped.

“Eugene’s has started to get a bit fussy lately,” Ned explained “I’m guessing it’ll get worse as time goes on, oh boy.”

\---

“In a meeting where everybody is all the way on that side of the table,” Steven faced the camera towards the side of the table cluttered with people who waved half heartedly before turning it back towards him and Andrew who were the only ones on the other side plus five feet apart “and we’re all the way over here!”

“It’s actually starting to get really lonely.” Andrew admitted.

“You know, I always complain about Steven giving me hugs out of nowhere,” Adam said and the camera quickly turned towards him “but he hasn’t done it all day today and for a second I thought he was mad at me but then I remembered he was doing this. Still miss it though.”

“I miss you too!” Steven whined, camera coming down low as he slumped over the table “It’s only been two days and I’m already sick of this!”

“This is gunna sound real fucking cheesy,” Andrew piped up and Steven turned the camera accordingly to capture his face “but like…I never realized how cold our room was until Steven wasn’t lying next to me, wrapped around my back like a koala.”

The loud “aw” that followed caused Andrew to flush red as the rest of the team plus Steven cooed over his sentimental statement. Steven whined even louder, legs kicking under the table like a temperamental child, “Baaaabe! That isn’t making anything any easier!”

\---

“Psst, Teej!” Shane staged whispered, following TJ with his camera, who stopped just in front of his desk. He stuck out a manila folder full of documents, “Can you pass these to Ryan for me?”

“He’s like right there,” TJ replied gruffly, gesturing towards Ryan who was hunched over his laptop “why can’t you do it yourself?”

“Because the last time he did he tried to lean down and kiss my forehead,” Ryan explained without looking up from his work “I fell of my chair trying to dodge him because we’re doing this stupid no touching challenge.”

“Oh yeah, Adam told me about that,” TJ said, quickly grabbing the folder from Shane and handing it over to Ryan “Steven’s a mess by the way. I actually didn’t know you guys were in it too I just kind of thought you two had like some sort of major fight.”

“What kind of fight would be so extreme that we’d have to get separate desk away from the rest of the office?” Shane wheezed.

“I don’t know man,” TJ shrugged “you guys get into some crazy shit.”

“We aren’t the Try Guys, Teej!” Ryan laughed “We aren’t _that_ bad!”

\---

“Lunch with your friends just makes you feel so connected.” Keith said sarcastically, panning around the large lunch table where he and the rest of the Try Guys were sitting as far away from each other as possible. Eugene, who was at the other end of the table opposite from Keith, flipped him off and Keith did the same in return.

**\--- [Wednesday, Day3] ---**

“You’d think three days without touch wouldn’t be so bad,” Andrew mumbled around a fork full of noodles before tuning the camera towards Steven who was a few feet away from him, miserably poking at his lunch “it’s not like we’re that far apart and it’s not like we’re not seeing each other every day, same goes for everyone else around us,” He turned the camera towards Adam and Annie and the rest who nodded solemnly before turning the camera back to himself “and yet this is the loneliest I’ve ever felt in my life.”

\---

Ryan rubbed his eyes tiredly, Shane slumped against the wall a few feet behind him, or as much as he could in their small recording booth. Ryan sighed, eyebags dark as he looked into the camera, “We’ve been trying to finish recordings for Unsolved for the last…hour? I’m trying to show him stuff to react to and discuss but he can’t get too close and I can’t get too close. It’s just…been difficult.”

“We still have to do the Q&A for this week,” Shane grumbled “how’re we gunna manage that?”

Ryan sighed, head in his hands, “Fuck.”

\---

Keith sighed, eyes kind of puffy and face a bit worn out, “So…I’ve locked myself in the bathroom. Just for a little bit, you know?”

He chewed momentarily at the inside of his cheek, looking off to the side in thought. Keith squeezed his eyes shut as he rubbed at them furiously, “I don’t know if I’m more frustrated about constantly having to be aware of everything around me so I won’t accidently touch something or just how much I really, really want a hug now? Not even a hug, I’ll settle for a goddamn handshake! I just really need to FEEL like somebody’s there with me.”

\---

Zach was at his deck, chin in hand, hair a mess and eyes a little more sunken in then usual, “This is officially the worst and I hope who ever came up with this idea steps in a puddle with socks on.”

\---

“I yelled at Adam and I feel awful,” Steven said miserably, using his arm to cover his face as he slumped over his desk “I didn’t mean to, it’s just that we were talking and he was getting really close and I don’t think he noticed but I did and then I snapped at him!”

\---

“Lately I’ve just been reading articles about all this shit that’s happening to us,” Zach admitted “about what a lack of physical contact can do to a human, just so I that what’s happing to us is justified and we’re not being complete assholes to the people around us.”

\---

“It’s gotten to a point where I _don’t_ want anyone to touch me so I can get through this faster,” Steven said “like, I know that’s a stupid mindset to have because I know I can’t make the day go faster by aggressively making sure nobody touches me for the rest of the day but…I don’t know what else to do,” He ran a hand over his face and through his hair, roughly tugging at the ends “My skin feels really, really tight like it doesn’t fit anymore and I just…been really bummed and sad all day.”

\---

“Skin hunger can not only effect your emotional wellbeing but also your mental health and even your physical health,” Zach recited, seemingly by memory “it can cause mood swings, heighten anxiety and stress, and can even cause you to dip into fits of depression. Which explains a lot because right now my back is going to shit and my medication and routine is not doing all too great.”

\---

“I really just want to go home and cuddle with Andrew and our cat and watch Netflix,” Steven murmured glumly “but I can’t even do that, not for four more days!”

\---

“It’s date night!” Ned spinning him and the camera around until he stopped in front of his wife, who was a few feet behind him waving shyly “We _were_ going to go dancing but we can’t do that this week so we’re just gunna go out to dinner. Maybe go bowling, see where the night takes us, and hopefully we can keep it 1950’s up in this joint.”

“Full on Victorian era,” Ariel added with a giggle “no hand holding, no ankle peeking.”

“Yup that’s why we’re all wearing long socks and sneakers,” Ned snickered, turning the camera down towards his and Ariel’s feet which indeed had on sneakers and long socks “no ankles are gunna be peeking out through there.”

Ariel hummed in agreement, “We even invited a chaperon.”

\---

Becky and Keith were in frame alongside them, Becky about five feet behind them half hugging Ariel and Keith next to Ned with about a foot or two between them. They all waved enthusiastically with Ned speaking for them, “Heeey! It’s Keith and Becky!”

“Best friends suffer together!” Keith cheered, everyone else cheered back in agreement.

“This is gunna be a disaster!” Ned added excitedly; more cheers of agreement followed.

\---

“Guess what we’re watching?” Eugene sang sarcastically as he zoomed in towards the living room tv which displayed the menu option for the movie “Five Feet Apart”.

“Why the fuck are we watching this?” Zach whined; the camera turned to find him at the other side of the living room sitting on the other couch.

“Because it’ll be funny.” Eugene replied with an obvious “duh” tone.

“No, it won’t,” Zach huffed “it’s gunna be sad and then I’m gunna cry and you’re gunna cry and then we’ll both cry even more because we can’t comfort each other which’ll just make the night a whole lot worse.”

Eugene was silent as Zach stared him down, raising and eyebrow at him, daring the other man to tell him he’s wrong. The camera moved back towards the tv exiting back to more movie options. “Let’s watch Mulan instead.”

\---

“We decided to go out for drinks,” Ryan said, lifting his beer in salute as did Shane who was one bar stool away.

“We look very no homo right now,” Shane chuckled “takes me back to before we started dating, when we first started hanging out.”

“Two bros chilling at a bar,” Ryan giggled “one stool apart but they’re still really gay it’s just their higher-ups at their job are jackasses!”

“This is biphobia!” Shane exclaimed dramatically “Our obligation as a same sex couple is to spend nights at sports bars and piss off the crusty old confederates that hang out near the back corner behind us.”

“Shh, Shane, not so loud!” Ryan hissed but the underlying giggle was still evident in his voice “They might here you and I don’t want to be kicked out before our nachos are ready.”

“Eh, Kevin won’t kick us out,” Shane shrugged, taking a swig of his beer “if he did, he’d have nobody interesting to talk to other then frat bros and grumpy old guys that yell at the TVs.”

\---

“I’m hiding in the tub,” Andrew said, sitting slouched against the walls of the porcelain tub, a plate of pizza settled on his chest “not because I’m hiding from Steven but…he’s been really moody and mopey these past couple of days and I don’t think me being there and _not_ being able to cuddle him is helping him.”

There was a pregnant pause as Andrew fiddled with the edges of his plate, “It’s really starting to get to me because one: I don’t like seeing Steven sad and two: I kind of…also need a hug. I never really realized how much physical contact I partake in with others on a daily basis. I know a large part of that has to do with Steven because he has absolutely no boundaries but not like in a way that’s annoying or over stepping. Well…in the beginning it kind of was but that’s only because I never really knew how much I needed it, craved it even. And now…now I really miss it.”

\---

Keith laid across the couch looking exhausted, “Date night was fun-ish, still really annoying not being able to touch anyone but it was kind of fun.” He sighed tiredly, looking off into nothing “I’m kind of worried about Ned though, it looked like…it physically pained him not to be able to hold hands with his wife or hug her or something. And I really wanted to give him a hug because I also miss that, I miss hugging my friends. I mean, I miss hugging Becky too but I also miss hugging my friends because when Becky isn’t here with me, I usually turn to them for comfort.”

“I’ll give you all the hugs you want once the weeks over.” Becky’s voice floated across the room causing Keith to sit up and look passed the camera.

“How long have you been standing there?” He asked with a chuckle, somewhat embarrassed.

“Long enough to feel very sad.” She replied with a watery giggle.

“Nooo! You’re not allowed to feel sad! I can’t hug you till Sunday!” Keith whined.

\---

Eugene laid on his side staring off distantly, the living rooms quiet and dark save for the streetlights outside and the occasional car passing by. His breath is even but his jaw tenses and untenses in a slow rhythmic pattern. His eyes clenched shut as he breathed out a heavy sigh and whispered, “This sucks.”

\---

“Guess who found me?” Andrew chuckled, panning the camera over towards Steven who sat next to him outside of the tub.

“I heard you moping and I wanted to join you.” Steven replied, raising his own slice of pizza, Andrew mimicked his motion.

“Cheers.”

**\--- [Thursday, Day 4] ---**

“I’m gunna be a big boy and be the first to admit it,” Shane said, munching on a breakfast taco at his desk “I miss my boyfriend.”

“Aw babe.” Ryan chuckled in the background, seemingly also at his desk.

“I’m serious,” Shane frowned, leaning back in his chair to face Ryan, who’s smile faltered a little “I really miss you, and I don’t just mean in like a sexual way but like I miss holding your hand and other stupid, couple-y shit.”

Ryan gave off a watery laugh, rubbing at the corner of one of his eyes, “Stoooop, I don’t want to cry, especially at work in front of a camera!”

“Please don’t, I don’t know if I’ll be able to restrain myself and not get up to hug you.” Shane replied, half-jokingly.

\---

“Heard you guys had a date night,” Eugene said as they all sat around the lunch table, pointing the camera at Ned “how did that go?”

Ned shrugged, silently point at his food with a dejected look on his face, “God, that bad?”

“It wasn’t bad,” Keith helpfully explained, camera quickly turning to him “it just…kind of didn’t feel like a date.”

“Ryan texted me and said he and Shane went to a bar last night,” Zach chuckled, camera panning over towards him “he said that girls kept coming up to them and trying to flirt. Shane apparently was very offended that he couldn’t piss off the homophobes at the bar by making out with Ryan.”

Eugene snorted, “I’m honestly not surprised.”

“What did you guys do late night?” Keith asked.

“Nothing and nobody unfortunately.” Eugene cackled while Zach rolled his eyes.

\---

“Here with my best friend, Rie,” Steven said excitedly, Rie waved shyly in the background “chef, producer, translator, and literal goddess! Look what she’s brought us!”

The camera flipped towards a large plate stacked with donuts which Andrew was eyeing from the other end of the table, “Dooonuuuutssss!”

“We don’t deserve you Rie!” Steven exclaimed dramatically as he turned the camera towards her. Rie smiled timidly and shrugged, “I heard that you guys were having a difficult time with this challenge so I brought over some left-overs from a video we just finished. I hoped it would help you take your mind off it.”

“You’re the best Rie.” Andrew cheered.

\---

The camera scanned over the empty and dimly lit meeting room with Keith singing in the background, “Locking myself in a meeting room because everything’s overwhelming, yay!”

\---

Ned zoomed in on a photo frame of him and his wife on his desk and sighed, “I miss my wife.”

\---

“I think I’d rather volunteer to eat bugs at this point then continue any of this bullshit,” Ryan admitted, chin in hand “I will literally give up popcorn if this whole stupid experiment could just stop. I’ve been having a headache these past couple days and it’s not going away no matter how much medication I take. It’s aweful!”

\---

Eugene’s face was squished against his desk as he softly sang in a monotone voice, “Everything's not awesome, Everything's not cool, I am so depressed, Everything's not awesome…”

\---

“When in doubt stuff you’re feelings down with more food.” Steven said cheerfully, scanning over the various take-out boxes across his desk.

\---

“I didn’t ever think how much casual physical contact I have on the daily,” Zach said, leaning back on his chair “like it kind of sort of takes me back to, like, high school in a sense. Guys are held up to this standard of masculinity where we can’t show affection towards on another because it’s shown as weak or feminine or ‘uncool’ which is a load of bullshit. Physical affection doesn’t necessarily have to be sexual or romantic, it’s like…hugging your mom or your friends because…you want to and you can and because it just feels nice to hold someone you care about close to you.”

“Oh no, Zach are you crying?” Ned asked off screen from his desk, voice full of concern.

Zach chuckled, quickly scrubbing at the corners of his eyes with the heel of his hand, “Nah, nah, I’m fine man. I’m just really worked up for some reason.”

“When this is all over, we can all sleepover at my house and binge watch ‘the Fast and the Furious’ movies.” Ned suggested excitedly.

Zach laughed, watery yet genuine, “You’re such a dork.”

\---

“I saw a cat today and I wasn’t allowed to pet it,” Andrew pouted, scooting further into the corner of the prop closet he was hiding in “so I volunteered to clean the prop closet today for the sole purpose of finding stuffed animals that looked like cats. Which I did, by the way.” He holds up two kitten plushies, an orange with stripes and the other white with black patches, and hugs them close to his chest, tucking their heads under his chin. “There’s more but these two are my favorite, and are the closest thing to comfort I’ve gotten all week. Which is really sad now that I say it out loud.”

**\--- [Friday, Day 5] ---**

“The producers thought it be a _great_ idea to have us all hang out for the day,” Keith said sarcastically, sunglasses on as he, his friends, and co-workers walked along the sidewalk in an awkward spacious line “so this is gunna suck.”

“I’m pretty sure they just kicked us out so they wouldn’t have to hear us whining.” Ryan scoffed.

“Which is bullshit because this was their idea in the first place!” Zach exclaimed, pointing at the camera “Deal with our whining and suffer in silence!”

“Either that or they want us to recrate some sort of fan fiction.” Andrew mumbled from the back of the line.

“No please.” Steven giggled nervously.

“I mean, I’ve had an orgy with worse people.” Eugene snorted as he took a sip of his bubble tea.

“Excuse you!” Ned gasped in false offence “I would be a delight at an orgy!”

“You do seem like the type to make eye contact during sex but you’re also probably great to cuddle with afterwards.” Andrew replied nonchalantly, Steven squeaked beside him, face burning red as he covered his ears.

“Thank you.” Ned said graciously.

“You know, I never got how orgies worked, if I’m honest,” Shane admitted “how do you even start to ensemble something like that, one. Two: how do you get invited or even start to invite people. Like do you go up to somebody in the office and be like: ‘hey, wanna come over to my orgy this Saturday?’ Or do you send a letter or an email or something? Are we supposed to serve snacks too? Lube and condoms?”

“Maybe it’s like a potluck kind of deal,” Keith replied “like one person lube and another condoms and someone else brings toys and maybe a casserole and so on and so forth.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I heard Louis and Shelly were bringing more lube and chicken salad!” Zach laughed.

“Oh my god, can you imagine running out of lube in the middle of an orgy?” Eugene gasped “What do you do for the rest of the time? Eat appetizers and do blowjobs?”

“Oh my god, do you guys have to be so loud?” Ryan half laughed, half groaned, face red with embarrassment “Why are we talking about this?”

\---

Eugene stared at the camera chin in hand, along with Steven and Ryan who sat alongside him at an outdoor café table before flipping the camera over. Clustered together, but still not touching, were Shane, Zach, and Andrew a few feet away peering into the window of a pet shop as they cooed over a litter of kittens pawing at them.

Eugene snickered, “Welcome to the token Asian member club where the requirement is that you need to date a weird white boy obsessed with cats.”

Steven giggled, “Was Keith unavailable?”

“Nah, he was already engaged to Becky and I’m not about that life.” Eugene chuckled.

“There’s still time Eugene,” Keith said dramatically, off screen “we can run away to Hawaii!”

“Yeah bitch!” Eugene cackled.

\---

“Andrew, what are you doing?” Steven laughed.

The man in question was crouched a few feet away by a potted tree, staring down into it, “Looking at a lizard.”

“See what happens when I take my eyes off him for five minutes!” Steven softly scolded, giggling under his breath as he waited for Andrew to catch up “He wanders off and I can’t hold his hand to make sure he doesn’t get lost.”

“Stop exaggerating.” Andrew huffed.

“I lost you one time because you stopped to look at grass!” Steven snickered “Grass Andrew!”

“I wasn’t looking at the grass,” Andrew protested “I was looking at the flowers because they were weird looking and I’ve never seen them growing like that outside a store.”

“That’s not helping your case.” Steven giggled.

\---

“Currently, me and Shane have now bonded over not being able to find pants that fit our freakishly large bodies.” Keith said, camera pointing at Shane who was rummaging through a few stacks of pants.

“And they’re nice pants too,” Shane replied, picking up a pair and displaying it “it’s got some neat floral prints and stuff.”

“Well, Shane is 80% legs,” Ryan snickered, coming out from behind a rack of shirts “and Keith is mainly torso, I don’t think pants even exist in those categories!”

“Shut it shorty!” Shane exclaimed dramatically “You’ll never understand the struggle!”

“I’m average height!” Ryan huffed “You two are just freaks of nature!”

“Mmh, sounds like something a short person would say,” Keith teased “tell us Ryan, how short are you exactly?”

“I’m five foot ten, completely average height, thank you very much!” Ryan replied.

“Nah, nah, nah, don’t give us that bull shit!” Shane snickered “What’s your _real_ height!”

“It’s the same thing!” Ryan groaned.

“Then why don’t you say it?” Shane said haughtily “If being five feet and nine and a half inches is them same as five foot ten why not say it?”

“Because it sounds stupid and like I’m making big deal about it.” Ryan scoffed.

“Seems to us like you’re still making a big deal about it.” Keith giggled, followed by Shane as Ryan stomped off like a pouty child.

\---

“I need it!” Eugene whined, clinging onto a giant Pikachu plushy. Ned, who was filming, sighed and in a monotone voice replied, “No, you don’t.”

“You’re not the boss of me Ned!” Eugene pouted.

“You’re gunna be carrying that around all day and then you’re gunna complain and whine for somebody else to carry it.” Ned countered sternly.

“But I want it!” Eugene cried as he stomped his feet “Nobody else is giving me love and affection and I need something else besides drinking to compensate for that!”

“Eugene, where the hell is that gunna fit in our house?” Zach laughed from off screen.

“Right between us in bed,” Eugene replied, cheekily “that way _somebody_ will spoon with me!”

“You have two days left, suck it up Yang!” Andrew cut in with a snicker.

Just then Steven came bursting in with his own plushie held over his head, “Andrew, I found a Growlithe! Can we get it? Please, please, please!”

\---

“Lunch break!” Shane exclaimed, far too enthusiastically to be real, as he panned over the large row of connecting tables the group situated themselves in the restaurant, each of them one chair apart. “No better way to deal with lack of affection then eating your feelings away.”

“I feel like we’re such asshole taking so many tables and seats just to finish this stupid challenge.” Ryan said from beside Shane, looking down at the chair between them.

“It’s either be assholes or we don’t get paid,” Eugene frowned, leaning his arm on top of the Pikachu’s head which he’s situated between him and Zach “We were gunna leave a giant tip anyway, we usually do whenever public establishments have to deal with any of us in a group.”

“You make us sound like we’re horrible people to deal with.” Zach said.

“Not horrible, just difficult,” Eugene clarified “you gotta admit, we’re really loud.”

“Yeah, you guys really are.” Andrew agreed as Steven bonked him with the Growlith settled between them “Andrew, don’t be rude.”

“I’m not being rude, I’m just agreeing with them,” Andrew huffed, grabbing the Growlith to bonk Steven back “they said it first!”

“Oh no, their fighting!” Ned said in mock distress.

“If Standew can’t make it what hope is there for the rest of us!” Keith sobbed dramatically.

Andrew and Steven rolled their eyes at the rest of the group giggled, Shane turning the camera towards Ryan as he snickered, “Well, that’s it Ryan, we have to break up now.”

Ryan nodded solemnly, “We had a good run big guy, but with the death of Standrew we must leave too.”

“Fuck that shit!” Zach exclaimed “Zagene will never die!”

“Weak ass bitches!” Eugene declared.

\---

“I’m part of that big burger life, boy!” Steven cheered, showing off his large double cheese burger to the audience “I didn’t even know there was such a thing as vegan cheese, which makes this very ironic.”

“I take everything I said about solitary confinement back,” Ryan sighed, chin in hand as Steven panned up from filming his food.

“What do you mean?” Steven asked, confusion evident on his voice.

“I’d rather be in solitary confinement then keep doing this bullshit.” Ryan stated simply, shoving a fork full of food in his mouth.

“Yikes.” Keith replied worriedly; side eyeing Ryan next to him.

“Why so dramatic?” Shane teased, though there was a concerned undertone to his voice.

Placing his fork down Ryan sat back in his chair for a moment in thought before explaining, “In solitary confinement you’re alone, you know you’re alone, you have that comfort with you. While in this situation you’re not alone but you’ve put up this metaphorical barrier between you and everyone else. It’s kind of like taunting an animal with a carrot at the end of a stick. You’re out in society but you can’t integrate into it.”

“This is getting really depressing.” Ned pipped up.

“It’s been depressing for a while but, yeah, definitely bringing the mood down.” Andrew shrugged.

“Yeah, sorry,” Ryan sighed tiredly as he scrubbed over his face “probably just kind of tired from all the walking.”

“Do you wanna go home?” Shane asked, his hand reaching over to grab onto his boyfriend’s shoulder but froze half way before retracting back to its person. Ryan gave him a weary smile and shook his head, “Nah, no offence but I’d rather be out here then back home. At least we’re not sitting across the room from each other as we desperately try to avoid touching as we’re confound to our small apartment.”

Shane shrugged in agreement, a deep frown between his brow, “Still, if you wanna go home you can, I’ll stay here with everyone. Or I can go home if you need some space.”

Ryan stared at Shane for a very long time, so long in fact that for a tense moment everyone thought that he had finally snapped. And maybe in some way he did as he loudly wheezed, a giddy smile hidden behind his palm as he wiped at the wetness at the corner of his eyes. “Jesus Christ, I really, _really_ wanna fucking kiss you right now!”

“And the best boyfriend award goes tooooo…Shane Madej!” Steven said in an exaggerated announcer voice.

**\--- [Saturday, Day 6] ---**

Keith breathed in deeply, face smooshed against the couch cushion, and let out a long sigh, “We just need today then tomorrow afternoon. Today and tomorrow. Today and tomorrow. Today and tomorrow.”

“Who’s the first person you’re gunna hug tomorrow?” Becky asked from off screen, clamoring around in the kitchen.

Keith thought for a moment before he shrugged, “I want to save my first hug for you but I’d have to wait all day for that, so probably Eugene. He looks like he needs it the most, also Ned and Zach too. Can’t I just hug all of them?”

“You’re tall enough and have those big noodle arms,” Becky giggled “I’m sure you can hug all of them at once.”

“Mmh, that be nice,” Keith hummed, a soft smile spreading across his face “Ned wants to have a sleep over afterwards, wanna go? We’re gunna watch all ‘the Fast and the Furious’ movies! And then maybe ‘Jurassic Park’ or ‘Monty Python’, what do you think?”

“That sound fun! Should we bring snacks?” Becky asked, excited.

“I’m pretty sure Ned’s got all that covered but just in case I’ll text everyone,” Keith replied “but even if he says no, I’m still bring over fried chicken.”

\---

“Andrew!” Steven called out from his desk, the man in question straighten up from his hunched over form “Tell everyone what you’re most excited about tomorrow?”

Andrew smiled wearily and rolled his eyes, “You know I was kidding, right?”

“Lies! Tell the people the truth! Show them your true colors!” Steven said dramatically, his pout completely audible in his voice.

“Steven,” Andrew chuckled “you know I miss you a lot, right? And the first thing I’m going to do tomorrow afternoon is hug you and probably not let go for a good hour.”

“Don’t try to charm your way out of this Ilnyckyj!” Steven huffed.

Andrew chuckled at his boyfriend’s childish antics, fondly shaking his head, “You know what, maybe you’re right? Maybe I do miss my cat more?”

“Do you see how he treats me?” Steven gasped dramatically “The amount of betrayal from the person who is supposed to be the love of my life!”

\---

“Psst, Ryan, Ryan!” Shane staged whispered, camera zooming in towards Ryan’s face, who corked an eyebrow in response “I love you.”

Shane giggled while Ryan’s cheeks colored themselves a dusty pink, despite this he still tried to remain nonchalant about the whole ordeal but failed miserably, “W-what, suddenly brought this on?”

“Nothing in particular,” Shane said in a giddy sort of way “thought maybe I should just say in so you know.”

“Of course, I know,” Ryan huffed, furiously turning back to his work “you just surprised me, that’s all. It was really random.”

“I guess, I’m just excited for tomorrow,” Shane sighed somewhat dreamily “not that I don’t enjoy being apart from you for a while I just don’t like _this_ kind of apart. I miss cuddling you and holding your dumb hand and kissing your stupid face.”

Ryan’s cheeks burned a bright red, ducking his head down, away from the camera’s view, “Oh my god, you can’t just say things like that Shane!”

“But it’s true!” Shane said cheekily.

\---

“Whoa! One more day! One more day!” Ned chanted, spinning around in his desk chair as the rest of the Try Guys joined in “One more day! One more day!”

“I’ll get to kiss my wife!” Ned exclaimed excitedly.

“Is that literally you’re only priority?” Eugene snorted “You gunna wait the rest of the day still not touching anyone until you get home?”

Ned smirked as he stopped spinning in his chair, back towards Eugene who was visible over his shoulder by the camera, “No, I’m gunna hug you guys first, I mean, I would like to hold my wife but I missed you guys a lot too.”

Eugene frowned slightly, eyes squinting suspiciously, “You…you guys aren’t gunna dog pile on me, right?”

“No, we weren’t but now we will!” Keith cackled as he leaned back in his chain into frame.

“Fuck off! I get to hug him first!” Zach exclaimed from off camera.

“Hey, hey, you guy, settle down,” Ned said in his ‘parent voice’ “we can all hug Eugene at the same time.”

“Yeah group hug!” Keith cheered.

“Fuck no! He’s my boyfriend, I get first hug!” Zach said childishly, causing Eugene to blush and fondly roll his eyes “I have been deprived of love and affection and cuddles so the rest of you are going to wait at least ten god damn minutes!”

Keith pouted, “Then group hug after?”

“Then group hug after.” Zach agreed.

“Whoa! Group hug!” Ned exclaimed as he continued to spin in his chair.

\---

“Sara has asked to be there the day of so that she can hug me and Shane,” Ryan chuckled, Sara waving a foot or two behind him “not that I don’t want you to come but why? We’ll see each other afterwards.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Sara said shyly “but I’m not the only one that wants to come.”

Ryan corked an eyebrow in question, “Who else could possibly want to come?”

“Jen and Daysha and Brent and Zack and TJ and Mark and Devon and some others,” Sara admitted “it’s just that we heard that Adam and the crew were gunna be there for Andrew and Steven and so I thought that we could also gather and be there for you guys.”

“O-oh,” Ryan huffed with a watery chuckle “th-that’s really sweet of you all. Jesus, I’m not gunna make it through this.”

“Aw, Ryan.” Sara cooed.

“If I cry can you guys pretend, I’m not,” Ryan joked “just like awkwardly ignore it until I finish and be like: gg Ryan, gg.”

\---

“Hey, so I’m actually really excited for tomorrow,” Steven admitted, he looked to be in one of the bathroom stales “granted I still feel like garbage, all stressed and jittery, but it’s a little bit less now that I know it’s all gunna end tomorrow.”

Steven paused deep in thought, “I’m also kind of nervous for some reason. I don’t know why, maybe I’m just afraid that I’ve hyped myself up for nothing and I’ll feel no different then what I feel now. Or maybe that everybody else prefers me like this, not being overly touchy I mean. That maybe Andrew might prefer it like this, I don’t know. But I’m still excited to be able to touch people again…platonically. Still doesn’t sound any better.”

\---

Eugene zoomed into the back of Zach’s head as he pours himself another cup of coffee from the lounge, “Soooon.”

“You sound creepy.” Ned said from behind him.

“Fuck off, Ned.”

\---

“One more day till we hug it out! One more day till we hug it out!” Keith sang, bopping his head from side to side as he continued to work. From either side of him the rest of the Try Guys began to mumble along to his little song. “One more day till we hug it out! One more day till we hug it out!”

**\--- [Sunday, Day 7] ---**

“So, we’re done,” Eugene sighed, he stood center stage in front of the camera “thank fuck, I don’t think I’d could’ve handled anymore of everyone’s whining.”

“Fuck off, Eugene! Don’t act like you weren’t whining along with us!” Keith cackled from behind the camera as Eugene flipped him off.

\---

“I’m just glad for it to be over,” Andrew admitted, he and Steven side by side a few feet apart, waiting to finish answering the overall question before the producer gave them the okay to touch “It was all horrible and exhausting.”

“From now on I’m reading the fine print in everything and asking question before jumping into anymore of these stupid challenges!” Steven exclaimed, excitingly fidgeting in place.

\---

“I was more stressed and tired then I usually am,” Ryan said, he and Shane also in the same side by side position, both anxiously awaiting the okay from the producer “as an extrovert I think it affected me more then I originally thought it would. I never knew how much physical touch went into socializing with people.”

“And as an introvert I never knew how much more I craved physical touch until it was suddenly taken away from me,’ Shane admitted “I never knew how important physical platonic intimacy was. I also never knew how accustomed I’ve become to it, it’s weird.”

\---

“I guess, it did affect me more then I said it would,” Eugene reluctantly admitted “I mean, when you have so many physically affectionate friends around you every day it’s hard not to fall into their habits.”

“Aww, he does care!” Keith cooed.

“Keith! I swear to god!” Eugene glared down at his tall, lanky friend, but the poorly suppressed smile on his face told everyone there was no malice behind it.

\---

“What are your take-aways from this experience?” The producer asked.

“Uh, it sucked!” Andrew scoffed.

“Yeah!” Steven added enthusiastically “Who’s idea was this? This whole week was just horrible!”

\---

“I would never, ever, ever do this again.” Shane said seriously with Ryan nodding in agreement “Ditto!”

\---

“Y’all are a bunch of assholes.” Eugene huffed, causing and uproar of cheer from the Try Guys off stage.

“You tell ‘em, Eugene!” Keith cheered.

“Whoa! Yeah, you all fucking suck!” Ned exclaimed.

“I regret every life choice that led me to partake in this bullshit challenge!” Zach added.

\---

The producer laughed; all be it somewhat nervously, but finally got to the question everybody has been anticipating. “Okay, you guys ready? The challenge is officially over so you can-”

Andrew ran to tackled Steven to the ground, not waiting for the producer to finish, catching the latter by surprise. Steven squeaked when he gently hit the ground as Andrew curled himself on top of him and nuzzled into his boyfriend’s neck. Steven giggled, quickly wrapping his arms around Andrew’s waist, bringing their bodies even closer together.

\---

Ryan and Shane slowly turned towards each other tentative and shy at first until Ryan sheepishly opened his arms wide in invitation. Shane, of course, wasted no time and with two large strides forward bent to wrap his arms around his boyfriend’s waist before lifting him off the ground. Ryan squawked in surprise, arms instinctively grabbing onto Shane’s shoulders as said man buried his face into the crook of Ryan’s neck.

“God, I missed you.” Shane’s voice was muffled against Ryan’s shoulder but they could all hear the overwhelming emotion flowing from him.

Ryan smiled shyly, properly wrapping his arms around Shane’s neck and his leg around his torso as he nuzzled the top of his head, “I missed you too, big guy.”

\---

Zach was a speedy little thing and thankfully Eugene’s reaction time is quick because he was able to catch his boyfriend when he practically jumped into his arms and wrapped himself around him like a boa constrictor. Eugene did not hold back his own enthusiasm, holding on just as tightly as a watery laugh escaped his lips before kissing the side of Zach’s head.

“Hey.” Eugene giggled.

“Hey.” Zach sniffed.

\---

“Can we at least get off the ground?” Steven giggled.

“Nooo,” Andrew whined, curling himself even tighter around him “I missed you and I meant what I said before.”

“You’re not letting go for an hour?” Steven snickered, running a hand through his boyfriend’s hair.

“Yes.” Andrew mumbled, nosing around Steven’s neck to kiss under his chin causing his boyfriend to squeal.

“You, stop that!” Steven squeaked; cheeks red in semi-embarrassment “We’re in front of cameras!”

“I bought you a giant ass Growlith, you give me love and affection!” Andrew murmured as he continued to pepper kisses from under Steven’s chin and all across his face.

\---

“You wanna let me down now?” Ryan chuckled, gently rubbing across Shane’s back.

Shane removed himself from his hiding spot and looked Ryan straight in the eyes with a smirk, “What, not enjoying the high life as much as you thought?”

Ryan glowered at him, flicking his boyfriend’s forehead before leaning down to kiss him, “Shut up, Shane.”

“Mmf,” Shane giggled against his boyfriend’s mouth “if you keep doing that, you’re not getting down anytime soon.”

“I said shut up.” Ryan chuckled, going in for another kiss.

\---

“You better not be crying.” Eugene jokingly scolded, swaying them side to side as if dancing to some silent song.

“I wasn’t until you asked.” Zach said, laughing wetly.

“God damn it Zach,” Eugene chuckled, visibly hugging his boyfriend tighter “I can’t get overly emotional right now, I’m wearing eyeliner.”

“Well, sucks to be you then,” Zach laughed, turning his head to kiss Eugene’s cheek “excused me if I missed you, asshole.”

Eugene blushed, a determined smile on his face as he turned to face Zach and gently kissed him, “I missed you too, you stupid bitch.”

“Aww!” Ned and Keith squealed.

“Shut up!” Eugene and Zach huffed.

\---

“Andrew are you gunna let Steven up?” Adam asked teasingly.

The man in question ignored him as he continued peppering kisses all over Steven’s face, who squirmed and squealed in delight before angling his face just so that the next time Andrew came down to kiss him, he caught his lips. Steven giggled against his boyfriend’s mouth, hand’s cupping around his face as Steven gently pulled them apart and chuckling when he saw Andrew’s dazed and flustered face.

“Oh my god, I’m getting a cavity from how sweet this is,” Annie groaned playfully “stop it!”

Steven half heartedly glared at her and everyone else behind the camera, “You did this to us! Now you must deal with the consequences!”

“Yeah!” Andrew added enthusiastically.

\---

“I think at this point, mmhf –” Ryan chuckled, getting cut off by another kiss from Shane “—people might be thinking, mmh –” And another “—they’re really laying the fan service on thick this episode, mmft –” And another “—we’re really not, this is all the producers fault.”

“We’re their favorite cash cow,” Shane mumbled against Ryan’s lips “are you really surprised they’d do this?”

“No, not really,” Ryan said, sighing into Shane’s mouth “but still I can hope a little.”

\---

“Kiss, kiss, kiss!” Keith and Ned cheered causing the couple up front to roll their eyes.

“You know, there’s a part of me that really, really wants to, but,” Zach smirked, curling in under Eugene’s chin “there’s a bigger pettier part of me that doesn’t want to give these bastereds the satisfaction of capturing it on camera seeing how that was whole reason they put us through that hell.”

Eugene inhaled sharply, facing skywards with a tight smile, “Boy, I thought you _didn’t_ want to get kiss right now? Because you’re making that very difficult at the moment.”

“Well, now we learned another kink that Eugene has.” Ned giggled as Eugene shot him a glare.

\---

“Absence makes the heart grow fawner,” Andrew said, him and Steven having finally gotten up from the floor and were now pressed together side by side, arms around each other’s waist “but this bullshit just makes me feel lonely and Steven moody.”

\---

“This was very stupid,” Shane snarked, having now put Ryan down but still held him close from behind with his chin propped up on top of Ryan’s head “because not only can you not function like a proper human being but the whole social isolation factor of it just majorly sucks!”

\---

“I hated every single minute of this,” Eugene said deadpan, leaning all his weight against Zach who pushed him back playfully “I don’t know what the hell was the fucking point or what lesson it was trying to teach all I know is that it was shitty and I’m never going to agree to do anything else again with you fuckers.”

Zach laughed, looking off camera to the side, “Okay, we need to get Ned and Keith in on this action now because they’ve just been clinging onto each other for the past ten minutes and I feel bad for leaving them out.”

“Group hug time?” Keith asked tentatively.

The couple rolled their eyes but both willingly extended and open arm each in invitation, to which their friends did not hesitate to take. Ned rushing in to squeeze between the two of them while Keith wrapped his arms around everyone, placing his chin on Eugene’s shoulder. They friends laughed together, playfully shoving one another in an attempt to find a comfortable position for all of them to be in but never once letting go of each other.

\---

“Bring it in Adam!” Steven smiled “You too Annie! Everybody get in here!”

Adam, Annie and the rest of their crew and friends rushed over to surround the couple in a giant group hug. Gentle murmurs of comfort were whispered to them along with warm hands rubbing against their backs that chased away the cold that had been settled deep in their stomachs ever since the start of this stupid challenge. It was warm and soft and maybe a bit overwhelming but nobody let go.

\---

“Sara, come save me from this giant,” Ryan laughed as Sara came rushing over to hug him “I’m being held captive.”

“Endure it for a while longer.” Sara giggled wetly as the rest of their friends and crew came piling in with their own teasing quips and jokes, all fawned and warm.

There were bouts of sarcasm and ruffled hair and shoulder punches all incased in the tight circle of embrace the group has formed. There was laughter and banter to fill in the silence because there was already too much emptiness from this past week’s endeavor to allow for a “moment” to happen, which is probably what the executives and producer were looking for. But really nobody cared at this point, they got their footage, they’ll have their “moment” when and how they damn well please. For now, they only focused on warmth and laughter.

\---

“God, I can’t wait to get home and kiss my wife.” Ned mumbled, causing his friends to laugh and huddle in closer.


End file.
